Today’s Yahrtzeits & History – 23-24 Shevat

Rav Aharon ben Chaim Avraham HaKohen Perachia (1627-1697). He was a wealthy man and was appointed chief rabbi of Salonika in 1688. He authored a responsa called Parach Mateh Aharon.

Rav Yehoshua (Shaya’le) Rokeach of Belz, fifth son and successor of Rav Shalom, the Sar Shalom, founder of the Belz dynasty (1825-1894). He married a granddaughter of the Oheiv Yisrael, the Apter Rav. After Rav Shalom was nifter in 1855, the Belz Chasidim had no leader for two years. Rav Yehoshua replaced his father two years later, in compliance with his father’s wishes, despite the fact that Rav Yehoshua had 4 older brothers. He led the Belz Chasidim for 39 years. He was also the founder of Machzikei HaDas, perhaps the first Orthodox Jewish organization to be involved in government politics. Some of his discourses are published in Ohel Yehoshua, a supplement to the book of his father’s teachings, Dover Shalom. He was succeeded by his second son, Rav Yissachar Dov.

Rav Moshe Kliers (1874-1934). Born in Tzefas, he married the daughter of a prominent talmid chacham of the Slonim community in Teveria, and he went to live there. At the age of 26, in response to a request by Rav Shmuel, the Slonimer Rebbe, Rav Moshe founded a yeshiva (Ohr Torah) by the kever of Rav Meir Baal Haness by the shores of the Kineret. He was involved in the Teshuva Campaign of 1914. Rav Moshe authored the sefer Toras HaEretz.

Rav Asher Eliach (1952-2004). Born in Yerushalayim’s Shaarei Chessed neighborhood, he learned at Yeshivas Kol Torah, where he cleaved to Rav Shlomo Zalman Auerbach. Later, he studied at Yeshivas Ponovezh under Rav Shach, Rav Povarksky and Rav Rozovsky, He learned maseches Eruvin with all of the Rishonim and Acharonim over 20 times, becoming an expert on the subject, and numerous chareidi communities consulted with him. He was involved in the setup of eruvin in every part of Eretz Yisrael, For the last 5 years of his life, he served as mashgiach at yeshivas Rabbenu Chaim Ozer. Tragically, he died suddently of a heart attack during a melava Malka.

Rav Avraham Lopes Cardozo (1914-2006). Born in Amsterdam, Holland, the great-grandson of the Chief Rabbi of the Sephardim in Amsterdam, he attended Yeshiva Etz Haim in Amsterdam. In 1939 he was appointed by Queen Wilhemina to be rabbi of the Sephardic congregation in Paramaribo, capital of Surinam. He married Irma Robles of Surinam in 1951. He was appointed Chazan of the Portuguese Spanish Synagogue, Shearith Israel, in New York, in 1946, a position he kept for 40 years. On June 7, 2000, he was knighted by Queen Beatrix of Holland. He was the father of Rabbi Dr. Nathan Lopes Cardozo.

Today in History – 23 Shevat· Taanis Tzadikim in memory of the 40,000 Binyaminites who were killed in the Civil War over the Pilegesh Begiva incident. (Shoftim 20:1), 1188 BCE
· Henry III of England orders that Jewish worship in Synagogues must be held quietly so that Christians should not have their prayers when passing by, 1253. He also ordered that Jews may not employ Christian nurses or maids, nor may any Jew prevent another Jew from converting to Christianity. Jews of Silesia (now Poland) were ordered to wear a special cap in public, 1267.
· Polish Jews were barred from using public transportation by the Nazis, 1941.
· First transport of Jews to concentration camps, 1941.

Rav Shlomo Margulies, Rav of Zelitschek, a close talmid of the Baal Shem Tov (1733-1805).

Rav Shabtai Shaltiel, Rav in Yerushalayim (1846).

Today in History – 24 Shvat

· Ritual murder libel of the daughter of the Rav of Speyer, 1195. Although there was no proof of any wrongdoing, she was dismembered and her body was hanged in the market place for a few days. The Rav, along with many others, were killed and their houses burned.
· New Christians (Conversos), especially the wealthy, were attacked in Toledo during a revolt against taxation, 1449. Three hundred citizens banded together to defend themselves and during one attack a Christian was killed. In response, 22 Marranos were murdered and numerous houses burnt.
· Leopold I ordered Jews to be expelled from Vienna within a few months, 1670, having been persuaded to do so by Margaret, the daughter of the Spanish Regent Phillip IV, who blamed the death of her firstborn on the tolerance shown to the Jews.
· Local duke granted Jews right of residence in Stuttgart, Germany, 1779.
· First shul in Madrid dedicated after 425 years, 1917.